AWE BRINGS MORE ENERGY TO REDBLACKS' DEFENCE
Linebacker has always kept it loud and proud on the practice field and in life
The amped-up amount of energy and effort Ottawa Redblacks linebacker Micah Awe brings to a football field goes back to the first time he stepped onto a football field — in middle school in Mansfield, Texas.
The players were told to line up on the 50-yard line. A coach standing near the end zone pointed one way for some players and the opposite way for the rest. As the players started shuffling to each side, Awe realized the better players were being pointed in one direction and he was being told to head in the other.
“I was confident as heck I'd be on the A team or B team,” said Awe. “They pointed to the right and I got put not on the C team, but on the D team. I cried. I didn't understand why I was crying. My dad laughed, he didn't understand, either. That moment set the bar for the rest of my career. I had to get it from the very bottom. When I'm making plays, it's because I'm grateful, it's because I earned it. That passion will never, ever leave me, it just comes out.”
His passion and zest for life comes through each day. He's one of a vocal bunch of leaders at each Redblacks practice — the team is now through Day 8 of training camp in preparation for the beginning of its CFL season, Aug. 7 in Edmonton. Since we last saw the Redblacks in 2019, there's a new head coach and offensive co-ordinator in Paul LaPolice and a new defensive co-ordinator in Mike Benevides, and the team has plenty of stuff still to accomplish on its To Do list. But that doesn't mean the players can't have some fun while they're doing it.
“I would say I'm a loud guy, but I'm not even the loudest one,” said Awe. “Avery Williams. Jerod Fernandez, a couple of other guys, they're kind of the war chanters, they get us going every day. The energy has to be there, it creates the standard — you have to play to a certain level if you're going to be that loud. If you talk loud, if you play loud, you have to be good. I love it.”
“Part of it is due to the guys we have on the field, it's the type of energy they bring,” said Redblacks safety Antoine Pruneau. “Especially during camp, you need stuff like that. You're going to have your highs and lows, there are going to be days where you show up at the practice field and it's a bit harder, you're more tired — it just takes one guy to pump you up.”
Asked why the offensive players don't seem to have the same kind of loud energy, Awe said: “I've thought about this. I've been watching war stuff on Netflix — you have different generals and different tactics. The defence is yelling, yelling, yelling; secretly the offence is going in behind and killing the other armies slowly. They have their own little world in how they get focused. Not everyone has to yell.”
The 27-year-old Awe played two seasons in B.C. before joining the Argos for the 2019 season. In Toronto, he had 44 defensive tackles, six special teams tackles, a sack and an interception, flying all over the field. He says he's grateful getting a chance to do what he does — with this new chapter of his football life in Ottawa.
“A lot of guys are grateful,” he said. “The locker-room we have
... my first professional football experience was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017 ... even though I got cut and got one only one week of practice squad, I told everyone, that locker-room is incredible. Lavonte David, Mike Evans, they still Instagram or DM me. I'm getting that same kind of feeling in this locker-room. Every single person is grateful for being here, it's been an incredible experience.”
THE COACH SAYS: The Redblacks scrimmaged Sunday, with refs at the field. Asked about the scrimmage, LaPolice said: “We didn't want to do a lot of plays. I think we only did 46 plays offensively and defensively. It's still another practice, we just did some things differently. I thought the O-line did a good job, we popped a couple of runs on second and three. I thought (receiver) Kendrick Rogers made a really nice catch downfield. I thought the defence chased across the field well, they did a good job of wrapping people up and tackling. We have to keep playing fast. Some of the younger quarterbacks today could have gotten the time count (violation) every time, they just don't understand the speed at which the game is played. I thought there were some good things today. There were good things yesterday. We're just getting better each day. We have time.”
THE END AROUND: Running back Akeem Hunt, who was suspended by the Redblacks a couple of days ago, has left camp and returned home to the U.S.
... The Redblacks have signed a couple of offensive lineman — Nick Buchanan (Florida) and Jack Kramer (Bowling Green). Interesting that both of them have plenty of experience at centre. Mark Korte, who shifted from tackle with Alex Mateas gone, has seen most of the centre reps in camp. The new players will be eligible to practise July 24 ... Offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan watched Sunday from the sidelines. He's missed a couple of days with what LaPolice called a “non-football illness.” He's expected back soon ... Pruneau wore a Ramones T-shirt for Sunday's Zoom media availability. Asked to name a Ramones song, he got it; his answer was Blitzkrieg Bop ... QB Dominique Davis tossed a nice completion to Joe Walker during Sunday's scrimmage, down the right sideline
... Monday's practice goes from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The team has practices scheduled all week, with a mock intrasquad game Saturday from 11:20 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday is scheduled to be a day off.